CONDITIONALS – IF CLAUSES

ZERO CONDITIONAL (simple present)

You can follow if with a number of tenses. When you talk about something which is generally true or
which usually happens, you can put a present simple or a modal after the if clause. This is sometimes
called the zero conditional.
If there’s a long wait, I take something to read. If I take a spare key, I don’t have to disturb the neighbours.

IN CASE

You use in case to give the reason why you do something to be ready or safe for something that might
happen. You use the present simple after in case but not a future tense or ‘going to’.
I always carry a bar of chocolate in case I get hungry.

You can also put a past tense after in case.

She took a sweater in case it got cold.

You can use if instead of in case when it’s more certain that something else will happen.
I always take a book if I have to wait for a bus.